To Close a Gate
by t.j.guard
Summary: Book 5 of the Night Watch series. The gate to the underworld remains open, and there's one person Tally knows that wants to keep it that way, just for the fun of it. Here we go again.
1. Prologue

To Close a Gate

Disclaimer: I don't own Night at the Museum, but the Night Watch series is mine.

A/N: Ahk/OC, Jed/Oct, brotherly Ahk/Kah ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Prologue

Tally sighed and let herself fall to the couch, cursing her phone for ringing and waking her up, but answering it nonetheless. "What do you want, Natalie?"

"You wanna hit the mall with me later? Maybe you could meet a hot guy."

"I already have a boyfriend, and even if I didn't, I wouldn't step foot in a mall anywhere with you as long as I lived. Got it?"

"Why do you hate me?"

"Because you're a psycho bitch from hell, and believe me, I know what that looks like."

"It's just the mall, with lots of shopping, oo, and a book store."

"Be sure to get me something then. It's my off day, so I want as much sleep as possible."

"What do you need sleep for, anyway?"

"You try working as a night guard for once. Better yet, try working period."

"You think I don't work? Oh, I work, alright."

"Where?"

"Oh, I'm the city's only professional shopper with any fashion sense."

Tally hung up and threw her phone to the floor, running her hand over her eyes and groaning. The world had gone to hell four times already, and she just needed her sleep. She closed her eyes and fell asleep instantly.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Octavius leaned against the wall of the train tunnel, just behind the threshold, watching Jedediah work on his railroad. Once Jed had everything squared away, he walked over to the tunnel and greeted Octavius with a nice, slow kiss. "C'mon, Octy, you gotta relax a little, you know?"

"Mm, I know, but like you, I am a leader of men."

"What's that gotta do with anything?"

"Everything. I'm sure there's at least one last, bloody battle between good and evil, right here in this museum, for us to face."

"We don't gotta." Jed tried to kiss Octavius again, when the latter pushed him away. "What?"

"We have no choice. The gods chose us for this battle, and there's no fighting it then."

Jed sighed, turning his face away and putting his hands on his hips. "Okay, guess we gotta get ready."

Octavius turned Jed's face toward him and kissed him for the second time that night. "But first, we've gotta have some fun."

"Now you're talking."

Ahkmenrah and Kahmunrah milled about at the edge of the lobby, watching the party, the one taking a break and the other not in the mood to party. "What's up?" Kahmunrah asked.

"I almost lost Tally. How can I not let it happen again?"

"She survived, so I don't see what the problem is."

"The problem is, what about next time? Will I lose her then?"

"What next time? All the dust is settled, all the old scores likewise."

"Dreams, Kahmunrah, dreams! I have dreams, I've been seeing things, terrible things, and I want it to stop. I just want it to stop." He turned away and wiped his eyes.

"No waterworks this time. They bother me."

"I...I'm not-" Kahmunrah rested a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Do you want to party or what?"

Ahkmenrah shrugged off his brother's hand and briskly made his way back to the Egyptian room. He gripped the edge of the glass case and his legs gave out beneath him, and he bowed his head. He was sure a pair of footsteps followed him, but could he look back, risk exposing himself?

"You know, I never did like watching this. Of course, you always hid this from me."

"Why in Osiris' name do you care?"

Kahmunrah knelt next to his brother and whispered, "You're still my brother. If that isn't important, then I'll leave."

"Don't!"

"Well, what's all this about?"

"You're all the family I have left, and if I should lose Tally, you'll be all I have. Get used to it now."

"I guess you're stuck with me, then." Kahmunrah placed his hand on the one of his brother's shoulders farther from him. "I am used to it." Ahkmenrah sighed, but there was nothing he could say.

Larry leaned against one of the walls of the lobby. As usual, the exhibits were gathered for their regular shindig, which began after the late hours ended, and as usual, some of the exhibits had taken a break from partying. However, Larry Daley was certain something lurked beneath the surface of all this merriment. He couldn't place it, but he could pass a lie detector test when asked if it was there.

He had covered for Tally, and with the intense normalcy of the night, he was beginning to suspect that all the recent insanity was linked to Tally. Maybe she had a curse following her or something.

Without hesitation, Larry banished all these thoughts. "Tally is a completely normal night guard at the Museum of Natural History, just like me," he said to himself. "There's no way all this insanity is attributed to her." He sighed and repeated the gist of this to himself over and over again, which failed to soothe his heart.

"Oh, God, just let it be over." He recieved a few odd looks from a couple of miniatures who happened to hear him, but overall, the deterioration of his mental state went unnoticed. "Ugh."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Tally's eyes fluttered open and the first thing she did was grope about for a pencil and some paper. Finding these things, her hand flew over the paper, graphite spilling across the lines and forming lines of its own. Finally, she threw the pencil down and panted some, looking at the paper. "Jackal-guy's back."

Even though the words were barely a whisper, she was certain the phrase was at the core of whatever she'd just dreamed. She ran to her laptop and ran a quick check of her email, finding a small note. 'You know you liked it. -A'.

"A? A as in Anubis, most likely," she whispered. "But why?"

She ran her hand over the drawing, which seemed almost like a black-and-white photo of some kind. Anubis was trying to contact her, that much was sure.

Tally closed out of her email and opened up the internet, running a basic search on Anubis. He was the god of the dead, the "Keeper of Devine Justice," as he was once referred to, who was usurped by Osiris in the minds of the people. "In the minds of the people," Tally whispered. "He's still the god of the dead, he's the Egyptian Hades, but that makes Osiris a figurehead, then." The second she said this to herself, another thought occurred to her, and instantly she rejected it.

Without thinking of all that has just happened, she prepared for her shift.

As usual, she greeted Ahkmenrah with a kiss in the Egyptian room. "Hey, uh, does Anubis ever contact people?"

"Contact people? How?"

"Whatever's standard for the day, I'm assuming."

"Well, being the god of the dead, Anubis would guide souls into the underworld. He would also weight the hearts of the deceased to see if they've been good or evil in their lifetime, but to contact people seems a little farfetched. However, since whatever possessed Brunden managed to summon him and about end the world, I've also worried."

"Worried? About what?"

"Losing you, especially to him."

"Look, I'm not going anywhere, not of my own free will."

"And if it is forced?"

"Well, that's different. If he forces me to do anything, I'm not going down without a fight."

"Fight hard for me, alright?"

"You got it, Ahk." Tally kissed him again. "One good, long, hard fight."

"Sounds good."

"Hey, maybe you and your brother can watch."

"Oh, yes, there's an idea."

"Yeah, oh, and let's get someone to film it for posterity."

"Now you're going overboard."

For a third time, Ahkmenrah and Tally kissed, and Tally resumed her rounds.

As she walked through the museum, she was struck by a sense of dread not unlike what she experienced in the past. The feeling was more vague than it had been, but it still bothered her, perhaps moreso than it had in the past. Right after she finished going over the museum and checked all the exhibits, she found Ahkmenrah in the lobby with a tour groop. She waited until the group moved on to move closer to him. "Hey."

"Oh, hello. What brings you here?"

"I just feel things, and I think something's wrong."

"It looks an awful lot like this something bothers you a great deal."

"Yeah, and so far, you're the only one that manages to make me feel safe."

Ahkmenrah took Tally's shoulders in his hands. "In which case, you stay with me, alright?"

"Okay, I'm okay with that."

"Good. I'm right here, and now I have to face another group of skeptics."

"I'm not going anywhere." Tally took a step back and folded her arms as Ahkmenrah ran through his regular deal and took questions. Already she knew she was in for a long night.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Tally and Ahkmenrah walked around the museum, taking slow, measured steps, talking lightly about subjects not on the frontburner of either of their minds. Eventually, Tally sighed and whispered, "You still feel it, don't you?"

"Yes." Ahkmenrah swallowed. "And I'm afraid it's getting worse, and more defined."

Tally's phone bleeped, and she checked the message. 'You're getting closer. -A'. "Signed just like the email." She showed the message to Ahkmenrah to illustrate her point.

"So that's why you asked," he whispered. "What does he want you for?"

"That's a question worth your whole kingdom."

"Why do I feel that isn't an exhaggeration born of a Fredricks' sense of humor?"

"Look, tomorrow, I'm going to bring my book, and I need you to trust me."

"Completely."

"I thought you were gonna ask me what I was gonna do."

"I don't ask because I trust you completely, but whatever you do, you do not demand of the gods."

"I know, you ask. I read the book."

"Oh, really. Well, then. I trust you'll be in great shape." Ahkmenrah slid an arm around Tally's shoulders, and she slid an arm around his waist. They continued their walk as if nothing ever happened.

Jedediah ran over to the tunnel where Octavius stood, leaping into the latter's arms. "I'm glad to see you, too," Octavius said, chuckling, before he planted a kiss on his lover's lips.

"Don't let go."

"That's not in the plan."

"Good." Jed moved to kiss Octavius again, when Larry's voice interrupted their moment.

"Jed? Jed, where are you?"

"Can it, Gigantor. I'm coming." Octavius let Jed down and the latter ran out to the edge of the diorama. "This better be important."

"Sorry if I interrupted anything. I just had this bad feeling something bad happened."

"So what is this, emergency rounds?"

"Yeah, that's it. Octy's okay?"

"Damn right he's okay. Ain't nothing happening to him as long as I'm alive."

"Okay, just checking. I'm leaving now." Jed glared at Larry's back until the latter was out of sight and the former could return to Octavius.

"What was all that about?"

"It's...nothing." Jed looked away, but Octavius pulled him in and held him.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"I...just that..."

Octavius wound his fingers through Jed's hair. "I'm here, and nothing's going to hurt you."

"I been dreaming, okay? Seeing shit in my dreams."

"They're just dreams."

"They ain't just dreams! I just said I was seeing shit."

"Then they are visions, and Apollo is speaking to you."

"What the hell, dude?"

"Visions usually aren't easy for the average set of mental faculties to process, since they aren't a normal phenomenon."

"Spit that back out in English."

"You're confused."

"Oh, uh, okay, I can be confused."

"Of course you can, especially when I'm here, and as long as I have a say in it, I'm never going anywhere."

"Good."

Larry made sure all the exhibits were safely inside the museum before he lifted the state of emergency and some of the panic eased. He himself attempted to soothe his nerves, which, after a while, calmed on their own after some walking through the museum, at which point he met up with Tally and Ahkmenrah.

"So, how're things? You seem kinda nervous," she said.

"Oh, things are...things are good, definitely," Larry replied. "Things are good."

"Okay."

"Are you feeling anything...unusual?" Ahkmenrah asked.

"Oh, like I'm supposed to feel like something bad's going to happen every night."

"Not really. We were just...curious. We all feel it then."

"Feel it? Okay, this is bad. This is really bad."

"Oh, it's much worse," Ahkmenrah whispered, the light in his eyes dimming. "Much, much worse."

"Oh, great. What's worse than bad?"

Ahkmenrah strode past Larry and Tally followed close behind, in turn dragging Larry behind her. The night guards followed Ahkmenrah to the Egyptian Wing, at the inner threshold of which Kahmunrah stood. "You asked what was worse than bad," Ahkmenrah said. "Hell on earth, that's what's worse. Tally successfully averted the curse and you never know if Anubis wants to come back and bring his realm with him."

"After all, Anubis was the original god of the dead," Tally added. "He's probably pretty pissed at Osiris for taking over, at least, so the Egyptians thought."

"Where did you find this?"

"Internet."

"Oh, must be a wonderous invention, that. Anyway, this is, in essence, the be all end all of battles between good and evil, and it's just around the corner."

"Oh, great. So this great, epic battle's coming, but I don't even know who the enemy is, because I'm starting to doubt it's Anubis."

"Well, if not Anubis, then who?"

"That's the problem. If we don't know who the enemy is, he could already be here."

"Here? Already? That's not cool," Larry said.

"Of course it's not cool." Kahmunrah strode toward them, his head in the air.

"Must you eavesdrop upon everything?"

"Yes, or I have people do it for me."

"Sounds like you."

"Well, then, do you need someone to find out who this mystery opponent is?"

"You're going to try to help us?"

"Why not?"

"Alright, you can help us."

Tally shifted her eyes from Kahmunrah's smug face to Ahkmenrah's and Larry's nearly identical wary ones. "Am I the only one who has no describable feelings right now?"

"Yes," Larry and Ahkmenrah said at the same time. Tally sighed and buried her face in her hands.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Tally skimmed through the book Cecil had torn that ritual out of before she collapsed on the couch and closed her eyes, her hand running over the page she randomly ended up on. A thought occurred to her and she checked the page. "'Find what is lost, used to find enemies or missing persons,'" she read aloud. "'Chant the following: I who seek to find the lost, and he who remains from my sight, find for me who I have sought, show him to me this night.'"

Tally closed her eyes and chanted, focusing solely on her unseen foe, whoever, whatever it may be. She chanted until her breath was stolen from her and her eyes forced open. Her phone was ringing, and she promptly answered. "Hello?"

"I knew you'd come to find me."

"Natalie? This can't be-"

"It is, Talia, and believe me when I say I'm coming." Natalie hung up and the line went dead.

"She's it," Tally whispered, pressing the end button. She slammed the book shut and threw it onto the coffee table, snatching the picture from where it fell. "I dunno what you'd do in a time like this, Cecil, but I can't let Natalie into that museum. You were a night guard, and I know you hated McPhee, and I know you even hated being a night guard, but that was what you were. That's what I am. I need you to help me do my job and protect the museum and everything in it. Please."

She set the picture down and rubbed her eyes. The world was spinning, but she had more important things to attend to. Immediately, she wracked her brains for anything and everything she knew of Natalie, who'd gone to high school with her. No use. "Okay, more important stuff. How to stop her."

Tally examined some of her more obvious solutions, but she dismissed all of them. She lay across the couch and closed her eyes, allowing sleep to finally come.

Tally arrived for her shift earlier than usual, lingering in the Egyptian room alongside one of the tour groups when she could hear McPhee's approaching footsteps. "Waiting for that boyfriend of yours?" he asked.

"Y'know, to be fair, it really isn't any of your business. You don't see me pestering you for details on your personal life."

"Another comedy night guard. Trust me, I'm really losing interest. Can't I make conversation in peace?"

"Same old McPhee. Look, I know I'm early, but this is really important. You know how all this crazy stuff's been happening lately?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, I've been feeling like a really bad chaos episode's coming on, and soon, so could you blame me for trying to stop it before this museum's destroyed?"

"Well, no. I can't."

"You knew Cecil, right?"

"Oh, I knew him."

"Did he ever mention Natalie?"

"Natalie? Natalie who?"

"Natalie Halloway, that Natalie."

"He did call her the name of evil, but-"

"Thanks, that's all I need to know."

The croud dispersed, and Tally resumed her night as usual.

Jedediah removed his hat and wiped the sweat from his brow. If it wasn't for that dream he's been having, this wouldn't have happened. He leaned against the wall of the tunnel, just outside it, and this was where Octavius found him. "Had the damn dream again."

Octavius assumed a position right next to Jed. "Do you remember it?"

"Bits and pieces."

"Would you like to tell me?"

"Jackal-guy came back, and Tally..."

"What about her?"

"Well...I don't think she's gonna make it past this."

"You mean she's going to die?"

"Yeah."

"Tell her."

"Whaddaya mean-"

"There she is. Tell her."

Sure enough, Tally was calmly strolling through the Diorama Room, looking at the bench longer than necessary before turning her attention to the miniatures. "Hey, guys. How's it going."

"Jedediah?" Octavius asked.

"I been...having dreams, y'know? Crazy dreams. I had one yesterday, 'bout you dyin' and all."

"Dying?"

"Yeah, you're gonna die, oh, and did you know jackal-guy's back?"

"I knew that part, but why the hell did you have to tell me I was going to die?" Tally backed into the bench, collapsing into it as if she had no will of her own. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, burying her face in her hands. "I'm going to die," she whispered.

"This didn't go as I had hoped," Octavius said to Jedediah.

Tally shot to her feet and charged the Roman. "This was your idea? Damn you."

"I thought it best for you to know so you could stop it."

"What, so I can stop my own death? Oh, my god!" Tally turned around and threw her hands into the air. "You think I can stop myself from dying? Hey, maybe I can jump off a building and will myself to not hit the ground."

"No, I don't mean it like that. Listen, you don't have to die, at least, not in the throes of insanity. You can stop this, you have a choice now."

"What? I die now or I die later?"

"Yes. Take your pick, but not now. Let it sink in."

"Great, so the fact that I could get killed in the next few days is something I can get used to. Just great. I need to leave."

Tally walked into the security office and threw herself onto the couch. "Cece? Ahk? Dammit. I just wish I didn't know I was gonna die."

"Tally-baby, I understand this is hard for you, which is why I'm here."

"Help me understand."

"Octavius was right. You have a choice now, and I want you to make the best choice for you. I need you to be strong."

"You think I can...?"

"Of course, Tally-baby, and I think you can stop Natalie, as well, but don't make fun of your death. It isn't a matter to be toyed with."

"I know, but did I really have to know?"

"I feel you did, which would help you within the coming few days, as would Ahkmenrah's words."

"'Let life be the River Nile, flowing, changing, flooding, going dry. Ride it to the afterlife.'"

"Those would be the ones. Be strong, Tally-baby."

"Okay," Tally whispered, sitting up. Little by little, she was aware that Cecil's presence had vanished.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Ahkmenrah paced back and forth in front of the security office before knocking. "Come in," Tally said flatly.

He shut the door as quietly as possible. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, except for the fact that Natalie's on her way and I'm going to die." He sat next to her on the couch, his hand resting lightly on her back.

"Natalie?"

"She's the one, she's it."

"Oh, I see. Now, who told you you were going to die?"

"Jed. He...he said he dreamed about it."

"Was he told to tell anyone?"

"Yeah. It was his lover's idea."

"Well, I understand the logic. Dreams like that bother people, sometimes. Of course, he did have Octavius to talk to, so he didn't really need to tell you."

"Well, he did, and nothing's changing it now."

"Listen to me. I'm not going to let you die, just so long as you try to stay alive for me."

"And what if I do die?"

"I will destroy my body, and my soul must wander, and I'll find you that way."

"Pretty damn brazen for a pharaoh."

"Pretty damn brazen for any Egyptian of any status." Ahkmenrah chuckled and shook his head. "But I will still find you. Don't doubt that."

"You probably loved a bunch of people in your three thousand years of travelling with your tablet. You can move on without me."

"I have a feeling it will take a little longer than usual."

Tally turned onto her side, the smile on her face morphing into a grin. "Totally just started cheering me up, Ahk."

"Thanks. That's a good thing."

Tally sat upright and kissed Ahkmenrah, promptly pulling him into her and laying back down on the couch. "Why don't you...stay with me?"

"Stay...with you?"

"Well, I wanted to say thanks for cheering me up and this came to mind, plus I've been meaning to try this for a long time, and I need to have a little fun, in case I do die."

"Oh, well then. We have time."

"All the time tonight allows us."

Jed lay in his tent, his back to Octavius. "Forgive me for forcing you to tell her," Octavius whispered, his hand on Jed's shoulder. "I felt she deserved to know her fate. It may not be the gods' will, but if I could do my own small part for the forces of good, I do it willingly."

"I forgive you, it's just telling her was the hard part, and I thought, watching her react, I felt like I did something wrong."

"Don't, dearest love. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I know, partner. Don't help me feeling like crap, though."

Octavius slipped closer, kissing the hollow between Jed's neck and shoulder and sliding his arm across Jed's chest. He lay his head on Jed's and whispered, "You've no reason to do so, my love. If the world ends, we no longer have anything to worry about."

"Ain't you Mr. Optimistic."

"I'm sorry if I've hurt you. Please, I hope I didn't hurt you."

Jed laid his hand on Octavius' arm. "And if you did?"

"Believe me, I'd do anything to make it up to you."

"Anything? Anything I want?"

"Nothing less."

"Just stay here with me, okay? I ain't in the mood for anything else."

"Alright." Octavius pulled Jed closer and secured his hold on his lover. "I'm not going anywhere."

Tally rolled off Ahkmenrah onto the floor of the security office and fully realized what happened. "Did I just lose my virginity to a mummy?"

"Yes."

"Oh, God, what the hell did I just do?"

"Um, exactly what you said?"

"Please tell me I didn't just make a big huge mistake."

Ahkmenrah rested a hand on her arm. "It wouldn't matter either way. This sort of thing happens all the time."

"Well, guess it helps that I'm in love with said mummy."

"I suppose. It also helps that the mummy loves you back, and I share your sentiments exactly, even though I'm not really a virgin before or after."

"Oh, well, that changes absolutely everything."

"Returning to more practical matters, have you heard anything from Natalie?"

"I...not yet, just that she was coming."

"Coming? Here?"

"Yeah, I think so. Now get some clothes on."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Tally ran a swift midnight check and then checked her phone. There were a couple unread messages from friends who needed talking to and likely requested assistance from anyone else who happened to own a cell phone they knew the number of. Just after she finished her check, her phone rang. "Hello?"

"So, you know the identity of this person," Anubis hissed.

"Lemme guess, you're using Brunden's cell."

"Yes, since you choose to word it as such. I'm still free on Saturday night."

"And I'm still seeing someone, so don't put the moves on me."

"Oh, why not? Will your little boyfriend not like it?"

"Okay, aside from me, what the hell do you want?"

"I know your fate, and thanks to that six-inch-tall Jedediah, you know as well."

"Yeah, so?"

"I have a proposition for you."

"Shoot."

"I will spare you."

"In exchange for...?"

"One night, just one."

"I'd rather die."

She hung up and rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. "Where's Natalie?" she whispered, surprised that that was something she heard herself say. Her phone went off again, and she checked the message. "'You'll find me, trust me.'"

Dammit, Tally said to herself, going through several different mental curses at a time as she shoved her phone into her pocket. She ran a hand through her hair and decided she really needed a day or two off. Her phone blipped a second time, and she checked the message. "'A day off isn't in the plan. P.S. check the lobby.'" Tally walked out to the lobby, where a tall, blonde, tanned twenty-something girl stood.

"How'd you get in?"

"Had someone let me in. Sure you know him, tall, older dude, ancient Egyptian."

"Kahmunrah? Sounds like him."

"Now, how do you want me to start? I could start the ritual now, end the world before you had a chance to fight me, or I could give you a chance to fight, make you defend this dusty old museum of yours."

"It's my museum, bitch!" Tally charged and socked Natalie in the face. She kicked this new girl in the side. "Don't you dare call it dusty."

Natalie pulled Tally to the ground and grabbed her hair, giving it a solid yank. Tally slammed her elbow through Natalie's arm, and when Natalie recoiled, Tally, whispered, "Oh, the tablet does work."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing." Tally used her legs to launch Natalie into the air. "Just what makes my museum special."

"This isn't your museum." Natalie moved to punch Tally, and the latter promptly flipped her adversary onto the lobby floor.

"But I'm the one protecting it from you."

"What about that other one? Larry?"

"I'm right here," Larry said, walking out of the corridor leading to the Hall of Miniatures and into the lobby. "What's the occasion?"

"I'm about to end the world," Natalie said.

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Larry and Tally advanced on Natalie as she got to her feet.

"You don't." Natalie dashed toward the Egyptian Wing, with Tally close behind her and Larry close behind both of them.

Kahmunrah drew his sword and the two guards blocked the entry as well as they could, but the tanned blond woman slipped through and dashed toward the main room, where she was seized by Ahkmenrah. She struggled, but after Kahmunrah turned and aimed the sword at her neck, she stiffened. "What're you gonna do to me?"

"Kill you. Tally and Larry should be here any minute to take care of the corpse."

"We're already here," Tally said, panting.

"Did we miss anything?" Larry asked, arriving right after Tally.

"Nothing of importance. I was just about to kill this intruder."

"Intruder? You let her in!"

"You have no idea what goes on in my head."

"What are you, some kind of double agent?"

"You could say that."

"Hold on a sec, kill her? What for?" Larry asked.

"Larry, she's the one trying to end the world," Tally replied, accentuating her remark with a dramatic hand gesture indicating Natalie.

"Oh, okay, then."

Natalie kicked Kahmunrah in the leg and lunged for Tally.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Tally kicked Natalie in the gut and socked her in the face again before taking a few steps back. Natalie stared up at Tally and began to chant, and the tablet began to glow. Tally punched Natalie in the face and the glowing stopped. "How dare you, bitch?" Natalie lunged for Tally and pulled her to the ground. "This is my night, so don't ruin it."

"Watch me." Tally kicked Natalie again, but still the latter lunged and broke free, squirming her way out of the Egyptian Wing with Larry and Tally close behind. She broke her way into the lobby, which had its own audience of miniatures and other diorama figures.

Tally tackled Natalie and held her to the floor. "You're not stopping me now." Natalie began to chant again, and for the first time in two weeks, the lobby floor split open into the gate to the underworld, complete with light show.

"Yeah, what's that going to do?"

"Swallow you whole while you stand begging for mercy."

"Tally, beg for mercy? I'll believe that when I see it." Anubis rose out of the hole, landing lightly just beyond the edge. Tally stared up at him with narrowed eyes, maintaining her hold on Natalie. "I'd more readily believe anything in this museum coming to life."

"Uh...duh," Tally said coldly. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Larry rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, I saw the whole thing," Brunden said, crawling out of the hole. "The tablet gets all glow-y and everything at sunset and everything."

"Oh, you're familiar with the phenomenon? Why didn't you say so?"

"You didn't ask, that's why."

"Watch your tongue, minion."

"Hey, hey, hey. If it weren't for that priest dude, I wouldn't be here right now, okay? Now if you could just let me go, we could discuss my options over coffee."

"Coffee?"

"Yeah, that black stuff that makes you wake up."

"Oh, you were telling me about that."

"Uh, hello, psychopath trying to end the world here," Natalie snapped.

"Don't worry, she's just a psychotic freakshow." Tally put on her best mock-innocent face as she said this. Natalie threw Tally off and shot to her feet.

"Ignore her, and make me yours, and I'll end the world, just like you've always wanted."

Tally pulled herself to her feet. "He's the keeper of Divine Justice, not a sociopathic killer."

"So isn't it 'divinely just' to just end it all now, before it gets worse?"

"This isn't a matter for a mortal to decide, girl." Natalie shot for the jewel that hung from Anubis' neck, ripped it off, and made a break for it. She didn't get farther than the door before Larry had her in a half-nelson. "What is she?" Anubis whispered.

"Psycho-witch from hell. Maybe you met her."

"I doubt it."

Natalie began to chant again, and the jewel in her hand glowed. She threw Larry to the side and the museum was shrouded in darkness save the light coming from the hole and the golden light emanating from Natalie's stolen prize.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Octavius shouted an order in Latin, and the Roman archers immediately commenced fire, their flaming arrows spreading light in their wake. The other miniature archers fired, and whoever couldn't, charged. With the wave of a hand, the glowing girl at the door swept the assaulting forces aside.

Jedediah shoved Octavius off him and rubbed his head. "Did I hurt you?" Octavius whispered.

"You landed on my frickin' head, dammit!"

"I'm sorry."

"It ain't you that should be frickin' apologizing." Jed got to his feet and tried to charge when Octavius stopped him.

After several seconds of watching Natalie, Tally rolled up her sleeves and examined her scars. She patted herself down for the paper she'd written the countermeasure on and, finding nothing, whispered, "Guess it's a job for my brain." She took a step toward the center of the lobby and looked around, finding Ahkmenrah watching from behind the Easter Island head. "Okay, you got this."

Natalie hadn't moved when Tally turned around again, but the glow had only increased in intensity. "Tonight, after the clock strikes twelve, the gate to the underworld will be closed forever to the living." She whispered this to herself over and over again, edging closer to the edge of the hole and turning to face it. An unseen force shoved her to the back of the lobby, sending her clear over the reception desk and interrupting her chanting.

"Not tonight, lollipop."

"I know that voice," Tally whispered, getting to her feet. "Show yourself, you coward."

Gus suddenly appeared and took a few steps toward Tally. "Happy now, snack shack?"

"So, all three of you are here. One question. Who goes first?" Gus charged Tally, who kicked him in the gut and flipped him over. He tried to grab her pantleg, but her consistent struggle made it a struggle in itself to find purchase. Footsteps signalled another adversary, whom Tally also seized and flipped over. "Lovely. Gus, Reginald. The only one missing from this nice reunion is Cecil."

"Somebody say my name?" Cecil asked, and Tally turned to face him. "I also heard something about a reunion."

"Just you, me, your buddies, and Larry."

"Sounds like a real party. Who invited jackal-guy?"

"The glowing psycho-witch at the door."

"Ah, I see. Gus, Reginald?" The two grunted their responses from the floor. "Oh, never mind. I'll just leave you two alone."

"What're you trying to say, hopscotch?"

"We know you're both still recovering from my one-woman ass-kicking," Tally explaned. "Stay the hell down there."

"You got it," Reginald said, rolling over onto his stomach.

"Tally-baby, you think you can do this?" Cecil asked.

"What, you don't think so?"

"Oh, I have all the faith in the world, actually. I'm just worried about you losing your life."

"Everyone's been saying that lately. If I die, I know exactly who I'm seeing first on the other side, but since I don't plan to, I'm perfectly fine all by myself."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Remember, a Fredricks to death, and maybe afterward."

"Heh, I remember. Good luck, Tally-baby."

"Thanks, Cece."

Tally walked over to where she stood a few minutes ago and checked her watch. Ten minutes to midnight. She turned her eyes to Natalie.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Tally watched Gus and Reginald, who had gotten to their feet at five minutes to midnight, and she resumed her chant, taking a little while to remember exactly how it went.

Natalie's eyes narrowed as she watched Tally just stand at the edge of the gate of hell and chant like she had nothing better to do. She waved a hand, hoping one of the stone guards' spears would appear before her instantly, but the stone guards fought her, and she had to use all of her will to obtain what she wanted. Eventually, though, one of the giant stone spears flew toward her, and she took aim.

Cecil sprung forward and threw himself into Tally's body, pushing her own spirit aside. He looked up at Natalie, who had just thrown the spear, or rather, flung it at them.

Ahkmenrah tried to stop the thing, but Kahmunrah stopped him. "Let me go."

"I'm not going to watch you just die. Not again." Kahmunrah turned toward the spear just as Cecil/Tally kicked it toward them just before impact. He pushed his brother out of the way and pushed the spear aside before it could do any serious damage.

"I'd ask what that means, but we really don't have the time."

"One of these days, I'll have to tell you."

Cecil/Tally turned to face Natalie, who'd decided to walk over to them and face them. "Are you kidding me?" Tally mentally asked.

"Why would I do that?" Cecil replied.

"Because she's a super-powered psycho-bitch with glow-y jewelry."

"That's my line."

Natalie raised her arms, and Cecil/Tally placed a solid kick to her gut. While she didn't even flinch, she did stumble back, and they launched a series of attacks ending with her seizing them. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

"That's my line," Reginald said, tapping one end of his cane against his palm. Next to him, it looked as if Gus would blow a gasket. "Now, you wanna put Tally down, or do we have to beat your face in?"

"You got five seconds to pick one, hopscotch."

Natalie released Cecil/Tally only to charge Reginald and Gus, who took her arms and pushed their way to the gaping hole serving as the gate of hell. "You can't do this to me," she screamed. "You can't." But they threw her in anyway.

Just as Cecil left Tally's body, Anubis took a step toward Tally, not even bothering to look her in the eye. She promptly flipped him into the hole with a curt, "Don't even bother coming back." She waved a hand over the hole whispering a spell on the fly for closing the portal to the living for good.

Cecil, Gus, and Reginald turned to smoke and vanished, Cecil waving to Tally as he left.

That left one thing.

"Hey, guys, what just happened?" Brunden asked, looking around.

"Got your big break after all," Tally replied. "Like a bat outta hell."

"Yeah, that was hell, and you know what, I'm not going back."

"You can start by shutting up," Kahmunrah said flatly.

"Nobody asked you."

"You know what, both of you can it before it gets ugly."

"Nobody asked you," Brunden and Kahmunrah said at the same time. Tally just sighed and walked over to where Ahkmenrah stood slackjawed, shutting his mouth for him as she passed.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Tally sat in McPhee's office the next morning, watching the security footage from the security office from the previous night. "Care to explain this to me, or am I supposed to already know?"

"Okay, look, in my defense, I didn't know there was a camera in there. Also in my defense, I had a rough night, and Ahk was the only one alive who was at least psuedo-decent."

"The tape also shows you talking to yourself."

"Not myself. Cecil's ghost."

"Oh, Cecil has a ghost now."

"He is a ghost, you idiot. I showed you how the tablet worked, and you tried to rationalize it. You see this tape, which I now want, and you think I'm crazy."

"You think you can get your hands on this tape?"

"What do you want for it?"

"What do I want for it? Twenty dollars and a certificate from a psychiatrist telling me you're sane."

Tally fished out a twenty, handed it to McPhee, and said, "I'll see if I can get an appointment." McPhee hit the 'eject' button on the tape player and handed the tape to Tally. "Pleasure doing business with you, good sir." After Tally walked out of McPhee's office, she pulled the film from the casette, wrapped it around the middle of the casette, and snapped the casette in half. She found the nearest trash can and tossed the casette into it.

"Actually," McPhee called from the threshold to his office, "scratch the part about the appointment. Only a sane woman would throw out a sex tape."

"You know this how?"

"My wife did the same thing."

"I may still want to arrange something, if you're up for it."

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"I really can't-"

"That's okay. Then I'll see you tonight."

"As usual."

Tally clocked out and headed home, where she found Brunden. "Couldn't get out of there fast enough, could you?"

"Why would I stay? It's a freakshow."

"Look, if you don't like the museum, you don't ever have to go back, but it's my museum, and nobody calls it a freakshow."

"Or what?" Tally roundhouse kicked Brunden in the side of the head, knocking him to the floor. "Okay, okay, I'll shut up." Brunden held up his hands in surrender and looked up at Tally.

"Good."

"Can I stay here?" Brunden got to his feet and rubbed his head.

"Don't you have to go back to D.C.?"

"Yeah, but not for a few days."

"'Kay. Now, find something to do with yourself."

"You first."

"You're the one taking a vacation. Seriously, go sightseeing or something, maybe take a tour or two of some of the historic buildings or something."

"Okay, yeah, I'll do that."


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

Ahkmenrah leaned against a wall, in a deserted corridor, when he heard the footsteps of his brother approaching. "I asked you a while ago why I'm not dead, and I never got an answer."

"I never did get the chance," Kahmunrah replied. "I told you I watched you die once."

"I know it wasn't your doing."

"Which changes things completely. We are brothers, you know."

"Don't think I've forgotten. I remember it all."

"Good, because you're the reason."

"Me? I'll believe that when I see it."

"What is there to see? You're still alive."

"So you want me to take it on faith?"

"If it's possible."

"I'll think about it."

"Okay, two Egyptian pharaohs," Tally said, destracting the two brothers, before she continued on her rounds.

"What was so special about that tape in the trash bin?"

"I'll only tell you if you swear on your afterlife that you won't tell another soul."

"You have my word, pharaoh." Ahkmenrah related what had happened in the security office in a low voice in case some of the miniatures were listening in. "Oo, pharaoh's been naughty."

"You're one to talk."

"Now, perhaps we should be going."

"Yes, we should."

Tally and Ahkmenrah sat on the bench in the Diorama Room, which, save them, was deserted. "Are you angry with me?" Ahkmenrah asked.

"Not really. I mean, I can't really be a virgin sacrifice anymore, but I can't do anything in the book which requires me to be a virgin."

"This doesn't bother you?"

"Nope, not really."

"That makes me feel better."

"Good. You're such a worrywort sometimes, you know?"

"I know. I guess it comes with ruling a nation."

"Yeah, I'd believe it."

"We've done it, again."

"Yeah, but something tells me a storm's coming."

"Oh, really? Another one?"

"Yeah. We're in for it this time."

"Do you think we can handle it?"

"Yeah, I do. I really do."


End file.
